Kajiado, Makueni and Machakos Counties Now Form 73,000 Acres of New Urban Development
Three counties, Kajiado, Makueni, and Machakos have partnered with the national government through the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) to create 73,000 acres of new urban development.
The partnership was sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the governors Joseph Ole Lenku, Kajiado County, Dr. Alfred Mutua, Machakos County, Prof. Kivuta Kibwana, Makueni County and Cabinet Secretaries, Joe Mucheru, ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, Najib Balala, Tourism and Wildlife and Ms. Farida Karoney, Lands and Physical Planning.
The signing of the MoU was witnessed by Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Dr. Fred Matiangí at Harambee House, Nairobi.
The MoU will facilitate the proper planning of the belt, the first of its kind in the country being implemented jointly between the national government and the county governments making it attractive for investments in the region while enabling the development of a sustainable and resilient smart city, Konza Technopolis.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Matiangí praised the three counties for cooperating with the national government in the development of the Technopolis, adding that their effort will create more value for the project and the property around it.
“We are grateful to the leadership of Kajiado, Makueni and Machakos Counties on the agreed MOU signed today. This will protect thousands of jobs, investments and wildlife by preventing encroachment & uncontrolled development in the buffer zone,” said Dr. Matiang’.
On his part, ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs CS Mucheru lauded the effort by the three counties to safeguard the planning of the belt, consequently protecting the investment that falls within the zone.
To support the implementation of the MoU, the Principal Secretaries for Lands and Wildlife now joins the constituted Inter-County Joint Physical and Land Use Planning Committee chaired by PS ICT and Innovation Jerome Ochieng’.
Three nominees from the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning, Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs, State Law Office, Council of Governors, County Government of Kajiado, Makueni and Machakos will form the Technical Implementation Committee.
In April, the County Governments of Machakos, Makueni and Kajiado suspended the issuance of new development permits for a period of 90 days in the “Konza Special Planning Belt” which is the area falling within the ten-kilometer radius around the Konza Technopolis.
The plan will provide basic guidelines and standards for regulation of land use practices and general development while controlling activities for the respective counties bordering the Technopolis. It will also guide developers and property owners on acceptable standards.
In addition, the three counties in consultation with the national government will provide a mutually agreed spatial development framework for symbiotic and sustainable co-existence between the Konza Technopolis and the adjacent areas falling within the jurisdiction of the three counties.
The formulation of the Inter-County Physical and Land Use Development Plan will largely entail the review of the Approved Development Plan No. 03 (Konza Techno City Buffer Zoning Plan Ref. No. 2564/2013/01) and will adopt a highly participatory and consultative process.
The special planning belt and development control will become part of the work of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee (NDICCC)